History of Anglo-Saxons

When was the Anglo-Saxon Period?

449-1066 invasion of Anglo-Saxons through the Norma Conquest

What battle was this called?

Battle of Hastings

When did the Pre- Anglo Saxons come? Also what were they called?

600-800 BC called the Celts

What are the two groups?

Brythons (Britons) (a Gaels)

Farmers, hunters, warriors

What were the druid responsibilities?

1. Settled Disputes

2. performed sacrifices

3. recited heroic poems of the people’s myths of the past

   (clans with Chieftan)

What were the various Roman Contributions?

1. conquered by Julius Caesar

2. Brought Roman Camps → towns

3. brought highways

4. brought Christianity

What was the basic structural unit of the Anglo-Saxon society?

Fishermen and Farmers

The five tribal units? (with king chosen by council)

Earls, Freemen, Thanes, Churls/serfs, thralls

Earls

ruling warlords- inherited

Freemen

own land, commerce

thanes

early barons, status from military service

Churls/serfs

worked land for military protection

thralls

slaves who were being punished military prisons

Origin of Anglo-Saxon poetry

importance- Beowulf beginning of Anglo-Saxon poetry

• Marks the beginning of English literature, recited by Scops 300 years before this version written in the 11^th century, was historically important as a record of he Angles and Jutes

  -       Anglo-Saxon poetry was passed down orally then written

the arrival and spread of Christianity

1. absence of the previous thriving Celtic church

2. resurgence of the Roman Catholic chruch

3. St. Augustine (and other missionaries)

4. converted King Ethelbert of Kent, and started monastery

Improvement in England due to Christianity-

1. Softened BLANK of warriors

2. improved BLANK of the faithful

3. improved BLANK of slaves

4. ended off BLANK- (renounced revenge)

5. BLANK people by counseling

Also brought education, written literature, used only Latin, exemplified by Bede

ferocity, conduct, treatment, feuds, unified